Reasons for Rats to Come Into My House

If your house or business premises suffer from a rat infestation, it doesn’t mean you have done anything wrong. Rats are scavengers, and they look for food and shelter at any cost. If your home looks appealing, they will be very excited about a visit… or two!

If they choose to check-in at your residence, it does not mean your property is messy. It’s just an attractive destination where any food sources can be found.

Why do I have rats in my house?

  • Rats are omnivorous and can eat a lot of things. So it’s easy for them to find things to eat in your home. When they do, they are unlikely to leave your home, unless you make them leave.
  • They come into your home through existing holes in the roof, floors, walls, under doors. Or through air vents, pet flap doors, etc. Or they gnaw their way through your home.
  • In the colder months, they are even more likely to stay in your home if it offers them shelter, comfort and excellent conditions for reproduction.
  • The more clutter you have in your attic or basement, and rooms, the more likely your home is to get a rat infestation and you won’t even be able to notice it on time. Especially keeping in mind that rats usually go out looking for food around your home at night.

How to Preventing a Rat Infestation in My House

There are a variety of things you can do to prevent a rat infestation at your property:

Store and organise.

Less clutter means less places for them to hide and create a shelter. Keep garden and BBQ areas tidy and clean. Declutter your home of all unnecessary items.

Keep food in sealed containers.

Do not use bags to store food. Mice and rats have a great sense of smell, so they can easily find out if there is food inside the bags. Metal or thick plastic containers are a perfect way to keep rodents away from your kitchen area.

Take out the rubbish every day.

Rodents are attracted to food, this is why it’s important to make sure that you don’t leave any leftovers out in the open. Don’t give them a reason to come close to your home. If you have rubbish lying around, you’re essentially giving rodents a reason to come close to your home.

Block any entry points in your property.

It’s advisable to inspect the structure of your building once every year. Check for cracks and holes. Inspect also the garage doors, the chimneys, the dryer and AC vents. Anything that can serve as a crawl space should be properly sealed. This way, you’ll block all potential routes towards the inside of your property.

Avoid using rat poison.

There’s hardly any humane way to get rid of rats. Poison is not recommended, however, because you put your home in risk of rats dying in hard to reach places, where they will start to decay and emit a terrible smell in your home.

To keep rats away, you can try putting some cat litter, or black pepper in strategic places to use the smell to ward off the rats. Or you can try a store-bought rat repellent.

Talk to a professional pest technician.

Glue traps are deemed inhumane as they can be the reason rats tear off their limbs in their panic. Live traps are considered humane, but then what will you do with the rat? You better ask for professional advice.

Use rodent-proof door sweeps.

It’s a great tool that will seal the gap between the doorstep and the door. A rat or a mouse can squeeze through any tiny hole it can get its head through. Their bones are very flexible and their bodies are kind of melting through the gap. It’s shocking when you see it for the first time, but it’s real.

I Need an Immediate Solution

Rat extermination is not an easy, and even a dangerous task, especially if you have had no experience with it before.

Rats are considerate as transmitters to several dangerous diseases. They can be transmitted to humans by touching their faeces or urine, or if a rat, carrier of a disease, bites you or scratches you.

Alongside the dangerous diseases they can transmit, they can also cause serious damage to your property. As they can gnaw on things like electrical cables and wires, gas pipes, and drain pipes as well, all of which if damaged can lead to fire or flood in your home.

It is recommended to call in the rodent experts. Seeking a professional rat extermination service is a guarantee of effective solutions against these pesky rodents.

Rats are no joke, it is imperative that you seek professional help or take actions yourself at the first signs or suspicions of infestation.

Pest control is an essential service during the pandemic. As a property owner, it is your duty to keep a close eye for any signs of pests and deal with them as soon as possible, not letting an infestation to develop and spread around.

Author Bio –

Jordan Foster is a professional pest technician for Fantastic Pest Control – a London-based company that serves residential and business properties.
Prior to joining with Fantastic Services, Jordan was a company owner and was managing a small team of local exterminators. He specializes in mice & rat control and bed bug removal.

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